As a small boy, born in the same year that Gagarin became the first man in space, I found the whole space race thing in the sixties fascinating - I had models of the NASA rockets and spacecraft and I remember watching the launch of Apollo 11 on TV at school and Neil Armstrong's famous "One small step . . . " 8) in the early hours of the morning on TV at home. For those of you old enough to remember first hand, was this event broadcast in the Czech Republic (Czechoslovakia as it was then)? I ask because I am interested to know how the event was received and reported "behind the iron curtain".
Yes, it was extensively covered by Czechoslovak media. The commies were tolerant to the coverage because it was relatively apolitical topic suitable to distract the public’s attention from the political turmoil in Czechoslovakia. They tolerated even the massive promotion by US embassy in Prague.
Armstrong's descent to the Moon's surface was broadcast live in the Czechoslovak TV (it was night in Europe).
I don't think Gagarin's flight was covered live anywhere - the Soviets were very secretive about their space programs in the beginning. I am quite fond of space flight history - my initial major was aerospace engineering paid for by a full Navy scholarship with intentions of becoming an astronaut - things change (sigh). Anyway, I was present at the Moon Launch sitting with dignitaries - my aunt had "connections" :wink:
Partly because the Soviets were secretive, partly because there was no technics for it. The first trials with transatlantic tv broadcasting came later, namely with JFK’s funeral or some sport events like boxing matches of Clay. The first event fully covered by transatlantic TV broadcasting was the 1968 Olympics. But Sputnik was covered live: peep peep peep peep… :twisted:
True and for that matter, the perceived lack of information about Gagarin's flight here was incorrect. American media for the most part only carried sketchy accounts with few pictures. A couple of years later when I was doing my high school senior "thesis" on America's journey to the moon, I wrote the Soviet Embassy asking for historical data relating to their space flights. To my surprise, I received a very large box filled with all kinds of pamphlets and magazines relating to their space program. Wonderful color pictures, in depth interviews, and a few other extraneous items (a book on women's rights in the USSR, for example) were also included. It was the first time I realized that propaganda and misinformation (or the witholding of information) was alive and well in the US too.
Wonderful Glenn . This box would've have value now. I once wrote to some tourist offices in Texas and Hungary, and got some maps and guides filled with adv. I have to try Russian embassy now ;-). For me Russia now is place I would like to travel to, but I am not going to support their visa policy. I wonder how/if they want to change it for OG in Сочи. Nor am I going to support Canada. I planned trip to Toronto. But Toronto can wait. Who would've said it is going to be easier to visit the US then to Canada :roll:
You have made me very jealous now, Glenn :wink:. That must have been truly awesome!! I watched the launch of space shuttle Atlantis first hand when our submarine was docked in Port Canaveral in 1989. That was an amazing spectacle but I would love to have witnessed a Saturn V launch.
It was one of the most memorable moments of my life... The power, the rumble, the roar... and, I was so happy and excited that I could barely contain myself - even today, when I think of it, my eyes well up.
That's a great story Glenn. Not many people can say they saw a saturn rocket go up. Hardly seems possible such a thing could have been sent into space. The thrust of the engine must have been a sight to behold. I remember watching the landing on our black and white tv. Houstone, Orel přiletal. Jeden malý krok pro muž, jeden ohromný krok pro lidstvo.
¹ There is no need for the numeral in Czech, we can live even without articles. ² Czech “muž” unlike English “man” is used solely for males. ³ “Velký” is more frequent translation for this particular quote.
Thanks wer, That's a great quote. I'll bet that's probably one of the most recognizable quotes in the world. And they met the challenge of John Kennedy to land on the moon before the end of the decade. Děláme tyhle věci, ne protože jsou snadné, spíše, protože jsou těžké.
Wer, thanks for translating the quote into Czech. I really like the way it sounds in Czech! I will borrow it and use it in my signature line during July, 2009 (the 40th anniversary of the Eagle's landing on the Moon).
But how do you translate his delightful Massachusetts accent? not "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard..." but rather "We chews dahgotah-thah moon in this d'CADE and do the atha things, naht because theyah easy, but because theyah hahd..." :wink:
LOL!!! JFK's accent was not hard to understand, but I have dealt by phone with colleagues in Massachussetts and in New Hampshire, and I can barely understand what they say
René....velký skok Glenn, not sure about how to translate that New England accent on the keyboard. But I did one summer as a kid visit Bah Hahbah Maine. It was great.
I have had Armstrong's "one small step . . . " as my SMS alert on my phone all month. I have just returned from another super week in Šumperk (NE Moravia) where it aroused quite a degree of curiosity and much discussion. There are now a number of people in the town with the same SMS alert and they take a lot of pleasure in explaining to their friends what it is !